Kaori's Goodbye
by ostara-san
Summary: *WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!* A short oneshot, detailing Kaori's perception of their final duet.


**Hey guys! My name is Leila, and this is my first story on this website. This is just a quick oneshot I wrote the other day, I hope you enjoy it :3 Please review if you had any comments (they don't have to be positive - I always want to improve!). Okay, thanks :D**

Gently resting his hands on the piano, Arima sighed deeply. He turned his face to look at the girl next to him. Kaori smiled, her happiness radiating from her and illuminating the room. His fingers hovered over the keys but never touched them; he played the ghost of a song. She watched, gently holding her violin in her slender hands, but never moving to play it. She sat cross-legged on the floor, her eyes were wide with wonder and she hardly dared to breathe as she watched him compose. Suddenly, he paused, looking down at his shaking hands.

"What do you love the most?" Arima asked her; his voice was barely audible over the beating of the girl's heart.

She thought for a brief moment before replying. "I love the morning." Kaori replied, her voice soft and quiet. I love the feel of grass underneath my bare feet. I love the taste of fresh canelles, and the night sky full of stars. I love the violin… I love the piano. I love so many things that it would take hours to describe them all; but mostly, I love-"

Her words died as music began to fill the air. A soft melody played. The perfectly flowing rubato wave of music reminded her of mid-springtime, when blossom begins to appear on the trees. She remembered April, and the lie she told. Her heart filled with joy as the boy continued to play his composition for her. The melody changed, hinting at Mozart's celestial song. Her mind flashed back to singing with him as he carried her through the night, the stars looking down upon them. The cool water enveloped her, a relief from the hot summer air, as she jumped from the bridge into the water. Pain struck her heart, and longing filled her body. These memories… could he feel them too? She missed him, despite him being right in front of her. She didn't want to go, she didn't want to leave him-

It changed again, darkening slightly; snow. Winter had arrived. She remembered how strong he had felt as he carried her to the rooftop, how they had eaten canelles together in the cold snow. The song was almost over… her time with him was almost over. Tears spilled over her eyes in time with the notes of the song. The melody slowed; there was not long left. Because there was one thing he had forgot to include in his song… and that was himself. Slowly, her legs shaking, she managed to stand.

Trembling under her own weight, the girl extended one arm and lifted the other as she readied herself to play. The boy turned to her. _You're here,_ he whispered, his voice inside her head. She was ready. Ready for their final duet.

At the sound of his voice, she positioned her bow… and played.

Energy surged through her veins as she transcribed her feelings to music, as he had done just moments before. They played with perfect synchronicity, each of their phrases rising and falling together. Everything, all thought and function… it was lost as the music filled her being and entered her soul. The song encapsulated emotion. Her pain, her loss… her love. It was what she lived for. Him and the music. He looked at her; his face was streaked with tears. He would not let the song end. He had to keep on playing, for her, she couldn't give up.

But it had to end. The girl played her final note and slumped to the floor, losing all of the energy she had possessed moments before. Reality shifted out of focus; the room faded. Her violin dissolved from her hand, fading into nothing. The walls around her crumbled. He was the only thing left she could see; everything else was the nothingness of blinding white light. It took monumental effort, but she lifted her arm, reaching out to him. He ran forward as the space between them seemed to increase.

"Arima…" She whispered. "Please… don't let me go… I… I love-" He was pulled away before their hands could touch. Everything stopped. The light went out. She was surrounded by silence. But no, there was a noise in the distance. A beeping noise. It was so faint that it was nothing more than a mere whisper in a thunderstorm, but it filled her ears. She felt peaceful, and as the beeping faded and died, her heart beat for the last time, in rhythm with Arima's song.


End file.
